Diversity Visa Lottery Suspended Following Death of University Shooting Suspect
Providence, Friday, 19 December 2025.
Following the confirmed death of the suspect linked to the Brown University and MIT killings, the Department of Homeland Security has immediately suspended the Diversity Visa Lottery—the specific program used by the suspect to enter the United States. This targeted pause coincides with a sweeping new presidential proclamation expanding travel bans to 38 countries effective January 1, 2026, marking a critical tightening of U.S. immigration borders and academic exchange policies.
Manhunt Concludes as Suspect Identified
Law enforcement officials located the body of the suspect, identified as Claudio Neves Valente, on Thursday, concluding a manhunt that gripped the region following the December 13 tragedy at Brown University [1][3]. Valente, a Portuguese national who entered the United States and obtained permanent residency in 2017, was also linked by evidence to the killing of an MIT professor [1][3]. For full context on the initial attack, readers can refer to our previous coverage: Manhunt Underway After Deadly Shooting at Brown University During Final Exams.
Immediate Suspension of Diversity Visa Lottery
The revelation that Valente entered the country via the Diversity Visa (DV) program has triggered an immediate policy shift from the Trump administration [3]. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a suspension of the lottery, stating that “this heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country” [3]. The program, which was created by Congress in the 1990s to distribute up to 50,000 green cards annually, had nearly 20 million applicants for the 2025 cycle, resulting in a selection rate of just 0.25% [3]. While the suspension’s duration remains undetermined, officials have advised applicants with pending DV-based green cards to avoid international travel until enforcement protocols are clarified [3].
Expansion of Travel Restrictions
Coinciding with the visa suspension, the administration has enacted a broader restrictive framework via a Presidential Proclamation issued on December 16, 2025 [2]. This directive, which becomes fully effective at 12:01 a.m. EST on January 1, 2026, significantly expands the list of nations subject to entry bans [2]. The proclamation modifies previous orders to include a full ban on nationals from 19 countries, adding nations such as Burkina Faso, Laos, and Mali, as well as individuals traveling on documents issued by the Palestinian Authority [2]. The administration cited high visa overstay rates as a primary justification for these additions; for example, Laos recorded a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 28.34% [2].
Impact on International Academic Exchange
The new regulations pose severe challenges for the higher education sector, as the Department of State will suspend the issuance of F and J nonimmigrant visas—critical for students and researchers—for nationals of 38 countries starting January 1, 2026 [4]. Northeastern University has already issued urgent guidance recommending that affected students currently abroad return to the U.S. no later than December 31, 2025, to avoid being stranded by the incoming restrictions [4]. This policy aligns with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s broader “America First” foreign policy alignment, which has recently seen the elimination of exceptions for immediate family visas that were present in previous orders [2][5]. While case-by-case national interest exceptions remain legally possible, the proclamation establishes no specific form or procedure for requesting them, leaving many international scholars in a precarious position as the new year approaches [2].